For many years, the usual method of treating a diseased intraocular lens has been to remove the diseased lens and replace it with an IOL implant. Two surgical procedures have each been found useful in the removal of a diseased lens, i.e., extracapsular cataract extraction and phacoemulsification. Extracapsular cataract extraction involves the removal of a diseased lens in a relatively intact condition through the use of forceps or an instrument similar thereto. Phacoemulsification involves contacting a diseased lens of an eye with a vibrating cutting tip of an ultrasonically driven surgical handpiece to emulsify the lens. Once emulsified, the lens is aspirated from the eye. Both surgical procedures require the cornea (or sclera) and the anterior lens capsule of the eye to be opened to allow access to the interior of the lens capsule. Once within the lens capsule, the diseased lens is removed and an IOL implant is positioned therein. Originally, extracapsular cataract extraction was the preferred and most commonly used surgical technique for intraocular lens removal. However, over time surgeons found that by reducing the size of the incision made in the cornea and lens capsule, or capsular bag, complications were also reduced. Postoperative complications commonly associated with large incision ocular surgery include for example induced astigmatism. Accordingly, today, phacoemulsification is the more popular and most commonly used surgical technique for intraocular lens removal due in part to the relatively small incision required to be made through the cornea and lens capsule.
Once diseased lens tissue is removed from the lens capsule of an eye, an IOL implant is typically introduced. A typical IOL implant includes an optic portion and at least one support member or haptic for positioning and supporting the IOL within the lens capsule or capsular bag. The diameter of the optic portion varies depending on the design of the IOL within the range of about 5 millimeters (mm) to 7 mm. It is a goal of the surgeon to make and utilize as small of an incision as possible, such as about 3 mm, during the removal of diseased lens material. If a 5 to 7 mm rigid IOL were to be implanted in a lens capsule, the surgeon would have to widen a 3 mm incision significantly to allow the IOL to be inserted. However, such an enlargement of the incision would reduce one of the advantages of phacoemulsification surgical technique. Therefore, foldable IOLs have been developed which may be folded, inserted into an eye's capsular bag and then released or unfolded with minimal or no widening of the original approximately 3 mm incision.
As known to those skilled in the art, foldable IOLs generally are made from polyurethane elastomers, silicone elastomers, hydrogel polymers, collagen compounds, organic gel compounds, synthetic gel compounds or a combination thereof. The resultant IOL preferably has a soft foldable lens optic portion. However, lenses that are soft and foldable can in some cases be difficult to fold using known folding and insertion devices due to surface tackiness. However, most foldable lenses described above may be rolled, compressed or folded by a special syringe or forceps, and then placed into an eye's capsular bag by releasing the same without enlarging the original incision. IOL folding devices are described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,281,227, 5,290,293, and 5,607,433. While such folding and insertion devices work well for many of the IOLs manufactured from the materials discussed above, the same is not true for all foldable IOLS depending on the particular composition and /or design of the IOL. Furthermore, many such folding and insertion devices are bulky and require much practice to perfect the use thereof.
In order for a surgeon to fold an IOL without the aid of a special folding device such as those described above, forceps or a similar type tool is used to remove the IOL from the IOL packaging. A second tool or forceps is then used to fold the IOL. The folded IOL is then typically transferred for proper gripping to a third tool or set of forceps for insertion into the capsular bag of an eye. Such a technique, while safe and effective, requires a great deal of practice to perfect.
Accordingly, a long felt need exists for an inexpensive tool or method that allows a surgeon to easily remove an IOL from its packaging, fold the IOL and implant the same within an eye without numerous transfers between tools.